Ladder shoe



W. J. BAKER June 7, 1932.

LADDER SHOE Filed June 4, 1951 Patented June 7, 1932 WALTER JAMES BAKER, or WYCKOFF, NEWJERSEY LADDER snon.

Application filed June 4, 1931. 'Seriallq'o. 541,985,

This invention relates to ladder shoes or adjustable extensions for ladders to enable workmen or others to conveniently set up a ladder upon a sloping ground or other surface.

The main object of the invention is to provide a ladder shoe or extension in a simple, durable and efficient form and which may be mounted on the rail of a ladder and easily and quickly extended therefrom and adjusted to any desired length to allow use of the ladder upon sloping ground, stairways and the like.

Another object is to provide a device of this kind which may be easily and quickly adjusted to fit a ladder rail of practically any size and which may be easily attached to and detached from the latter.

With these and other objects in view as will appear the invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a front view of the lower portion of a ladder showing the invention applied thereto and disposed in position to support the ladder upon a sloping surface.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side View of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section along the line 33 in Figure 2.

The invention comprises a bracket or attaching plate 1 of L-shaped cross section and comprising a relatively narrow front web 2 and wider side web 3, each of which near their ends are provided with extended ears 4 7 having elongated slots 5. A portion of the lower end of the side web 3 is turned inward at right angles to provide a ladder rest 6 adapted to support the lower end of either of the ladder rails A of a conventional ladder. The front and side webs 2 and 3 of the bracket 1 are adapted to engage the front and outer side faces of the ladder rail A as shown. Clamping bolts 7 of L-shaped form and threaded adjacent each end as shown at 8 are provided and the opposite ends of each bolt 7 are extended outward through the slots 5 50 in the ears 4, one bolt at the top of the bracket 1 and oneat the bottom. Wing nuts 9 are threaded on the ends of the bolts 7 and the arrangement is such that by drawing these nuts 9 up tight against the bracket 1. the bolts 7 are pulled tight against the rearand inner faces of the ladder rail-A securely fastening the bracket thereto. This construction permits the mounting of the bracket on ladder-rails of practicallyany cross sectional dimension and shape since the wing nuts 9 on each end of the bolts 7 .may be adjusted separately or together to vary the effective or gripping length of each leg of the bolts. The provision of the elongated slots 5 in the ears 4 allow this manipulation of the bolts. To remove the bracket 1 from the ladder rail it is only necessary to loosen the nuts 9 and slip the bracket endWise-from the rail.

Extension leg slideways 10 are provided adjacent the upper and lower ends ofthe side web 3 of the bracket '1 and each slideway is formed'of a pair of spaced side blocks 11 and a cover or cap l2secured thereto by'screws 18. The extension leg 14 is elongated in form and is slidably mounted through the slideways 10 and is provided at its lower end with a foot or shoe 15. A cotter key 16 or similar element in the upper end of the-leg 14 prevents the same from sliding downward en tirely through the slideways'lO. Two pivot lugs 17 are extended from the web 3 of the bracket 1 between the slideways 10 and on eachside of the extension leg 14 and a pawl or dog 18 is pivotally mounted between these 'lugs ona pin 19. The pawl ,or dog 18 includesa handle or finger: piece 20 and is so shaped that its upper portion normally counterbalancesits lower portion and causes the latter to restin engagement with the outer face of the extension leg 14. This outer face of the extension leg has a plurality of ratchet teeth 21 with which the pawl 18 engages so that the leg may be held in any suitable extended position thereby. A set screw 22 is threaded through one of the pivot lugs 17 and may be brought to bear upon the extension leg to prevent the same from sliding downward of its own weight through the slideways 10.

In use the bracket 1 is mounted on the lad- 1 der rail A in the manner described and with the extension leg 14 pulled upward and held by the set screw 22. The latter is then placed in the desired position and the set screw 22 loosened, permitting the leg 14 to slide downward of its own weight until its shoe 15 engages the surface as shown in Figure 1. The engagement of the pawl 18 with the teeth 21 holds the leg in this extended position for use. By simply turning the ladder the leg 14 will allow its use upon ground or surface sloping in the opposite direction. Thus it will be seen that the device is particularly convenient in use as well asbeing compact, simple and durable in construction.

7 While I have herein set forth a. certain preferredembodiment of my invention it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor structural details so as best to construct a practical device for the purposes intended,

not departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

- I claim: I

1. Ina device of the kind described, a bracket L-shaped in cross section and including front and side webs, ears formed on the webs, the said ears having elongated slots, L-

shaped'bolts having their ends extended through the slots, nuts threaded on the ends of the bolts, a ladder rest formed on one end of the bracket, an extension leg slidably mounted on the bracket, and means for securing the extension leg'in an adjusted posi- 2. In a device of the kind described, a bracket L-shaped in cross section andvincluding front andside webs, ears extended from I the webs and having elongated slots, L- shaped bolts having their ends extended through the said slots, nuts threaded on the bolts outwardly of the cars, a ladder rest 7 formed on the lower end of the bracket, spaced vertically aligned slideways on the side web, an extension leg slidably'mountedr through the slideways, ratchet teeth on the outer face of the extension leg, pivot lugs extended from the side web of the bracket at each side of the extension leg, a pawl pivoted between the pivot lugs for engagement with the ratchet teeth on the extension leg and a set screw threaded through oneof the pivot lugs for engagement with the extension leg.

I V In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WALTER J. BAKER. 

